


Nox Aeterna

by medi



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Night Terrors, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 09:37:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/medi/pseuds/medi
Summary: "And when I sleep... please hold my hand and never let go."(Warning for abuse mention and semi-graphic injury.)





	Nox Aeterna

**Author's Note:**

  * For [finelyagedlemons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/finelyagedlemons/gifts).



> _Nox aeterna_ , or endless night.

Sometimes, Niles quite desired to be wrong. A master of dire predictions, he never actually hoped they would come to truth. At least when they did, the blow wouldn't hit him so hard, as he expected the worst.

So he could wish for happy dreams all he wanted; the nightmares would come in their place, and he knew it, each time he closed his eyes, predicting their arrival, and maybe then they wouldn't hurt as much.

They did, though. The cold steel slicing through his eye pained him the same as the day it happened. Warm blood from a fresh kill slipped between his fingers. Hands gripped his throat, a harsh voice berating him for failure, and he couldn't breathe, his only sounds the tiny gasps of a child in distress. Tears welled in both eyes, a feeling lost to him now. Even when the hands left him, their pressure bruised his neck. Breathing pained him.

Then came the nighttime chill, worse than anything else, any other pain incomparable. It threatened to eat him alive, him, a little boy with nothing but the clothes on his back for warmth, separated from his group. Was he so young then?

Then? No, _now_. He convinced himself of this being his present situation, the cold seeping into his bones, consuming him. How could it be otherwise when it felt so real?

But he was wrong. Dead wrong.

His life began to ebb away, flowing from him as blood from a gaping wound, and then... warmth. In his hand. He flexed it, and fingers seemed to tighten around it, a soft hold, not like the constriction at his throat before. A pretty voice called his name. Hair brushed aside. A kiss to his cheek. He curled into himself.

_Niles._

He wanted to hold on to these warm feelings.

_Niles..._

If he closed his eyes and slept, would they leave him?

_Should I wake him up...?_

Was he sleeping now?

Niles's consciousness arose from his dream. He collected himself and his surroundings: no streets. A cozy bed. Clean, comfortable clothes. And...

"You're awake," Laslow said, squeezing his hand. "Is everything alright?"

"Just a dream." Niles assured him, halfway to falling asleep again but having no desire to return.

"An unpleasant one, I gather." Laslow settled in beside him.

"Same as always," Niles mumbled. "I'm used to it."

"The same, hm? Let's see if we can do something to remedy that."

Laslow moved close, much to Niles's surprise (why was that so surprising?), his bright brown eyes glimmering in the moonbeams coming through their window. He smiled his eternal smile, but a special one reserved just for Niles. _I love you. I don't want to see you in distress._

Their clasped hands lay between them. Laslow's lips met Niles's forehead, a kiss to wash away horrible memories.

"Sweet dreams, my love," Laslow whispered to him. "I won't allow anymore nightmares to come for you. That, I promise."

Niles didn't drift off as quickly as Laslow, perhaps in part due to his earlier experience, his mind ill at ease.

Yet the longer he observed Laslow's sleeping face, that uneasiness faded.

Laslow's mouth hung slightly open, lips parted in peaceful rest. His eyes moved about beneath his closed lids, lovely long lashes sometimes fluttering against his cheeks. He smiled and nuzzled his pillow, sighing. With Laslow so content in his sleep, Niles couldn't resist the call of it himself, no longer fearing his dreams. He eyed his hand connected to Laslow's, his final sight before letting pure exhaustion overcome him. That small reminder of his beloved's presence remained with him in the realms of unconsciousness.

He had no more nightmares. In his dreams, sunlight warmed his bare shoulders, and he heard Laslow's singing somewhere close by.

**Author's Note:**

> I promised to write some Nilow for FAL based on one of Niles's romantic My Room lines.  
> Also, I need to start filling this tag with the content it deserves.


End file.
